Antlers High School Junior GEAR UP Students Visit UCO

10/22/2015

WILBURTON, OK (Oct. 22, 2015) – Thirty–six juniors from Antlers High School recently visited the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. The field trip was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP. Participating GEAR UP schools take two field trips each academic year—one to tour a college or university and one that is cultural or educational in nature.

UCO was founded in 1890 and was one of the first institutions of higher learning in the state. UCO offers 116 undergraduate and 70 graduate majors and have more than 17,000 students in attendance. In 2006, it became the first major Oklahoma university to have 100 percent of its energy supplied by wind power, and they were also named an Olympic community partner and an Olympic/Paralympic training site.

Students from Antlers began at the Nigh University Center and were greeted by UCO Tour Representative Gina Hickey. Ms. Hickey explained the need for them to apply for college early in their senior year and encouraged them to take the ACT test. Students were then divided up into groups of eight or nine and given packets full of clues to use during a scavenger hunt.

During the scavenger hunt students were given clues to various locations across the campus that took them to places such as the library, cafeteria, ballfields and gym, the School of Education Building as well as the statue of the school mascot, Buddy Broncho. Students finished their tour back at the Nigh University Center.

“Eastern’s GEAR UP provides college tours to provide students with the opportunity to see what various college campuses are like,” said GEAR UP Education Coordinator LaDonna Baldwin. “Our hope is that they will be able to find the perfect match for their postsecondary education.”